Conflicted (Everlasting Love)(56)
“No.” She shook her head.
“Yes. I know you too well.”
“No, you don’t. If you did, we wouldn’t be here now, facing the end of our marriage.”
“Desiree—”
“Jesse.” She reached out, grasped both his arms and waited until he was looking into her eyes. “I can’t prove any of this to you. You’re going to have to trust me.”
“Isn’t that what we’ve been talking about? Trust isn’t exactly our long suit.”
She let him go, slowly folding her arms over her chest as the truth sank in. “So that’s it, then? We’re finished?” She began gathering her clothes, her spine stiff, her movements jerky.
He searched within himself for words that could express the fear and hope battling inside of him. She’d hurt him so many times before that part of him thought it was suicide to give her another chance to destroy him. They’d wandered so far from where they’d started that it was hard to imagine finding a way back to what they’d once had.
And yet, could he really turn her down when everything inside of him called out for her?
“Don’t leave me.” The words tumbled out, unbidden. They weren’t what he’d planned to say, but as Desiree froze in midmotion, he realized he didn’t want to take them back.
She turned to face him. “What did you say?”
“Please, don’t go.” He took his first steps toward her. “I’m not sure where we go from here, not sure if we can fix all the hurt we’ve inflicted on each other through the years. But I don’t want to be without you. Not yet.”
“Yes,” she murmured, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on. “God, yes.”
“But I do think you were right. We need to get away from the ranch for a while, spend some time figuring things out without all the angst and pain the Triple H has been about for so long.”
She started to speak, but he interrupted her. “And I want you to tear up the partnership papers.”
“But I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“What I wanted was to feel like my wife understood and appreciated me.”
“I’ve always appreciated you, Jess, though understanding is something I’m just now working toward.”
“We’ll work toward it together. Tom was telling me about this counselor that saved his and Maureen’s marriage.”
She stared at him, surprised. “You want to go to counseling?”
“I think we need something if we’re going to have any kind of chance at all. We’ve known each other for thirty-five years and I think we understand each other less now than we ever have before.”
“But that’s going to change.” Her eyes were bright with a hope he hadn’t seen in far too long.
“I don’t know if it will or not.” His voice was resolute, daring her to take a leap of faith. “But I want it to.”
“Then that’s good enough for now.”
*
For more sexy, emotional fun from Harlequin Desire
be sure to check out
SNOWED IN WITH A BILLIONAIRE
from Karen Booth
Joy McKinley just had to be rescued by one of the wealthiest, sexiest men she’s ever met. Especially when she’s hiding out in someone else’s house under a name that isn’t hers. But when they get snowed in together, can their romance survive the truth?
Read on for a sneak peek at
SNOWED IN WITH A BILLIONAIRE
Joy McKinley hated to lie to anyone, especially someone as sweet as her fellow bakery worker, Natalie. But she had no choice.
“This is me. On the right. Don’t bother pulling into the driveway. It’s tough to back out. Cars whiz around that turn so fast.” Snow was coming down like crazy now. By all accounts, they were in for one heck of a storm.
“Cute house.” Natalie peered through the window at the rustic cabin Joy had driven past every day on her way up the mountain. Her blond curls poked out from underneath her gray-and-white-striped knit hat. It had a giant pom-pom on top. “You make enough at the bakery to live here by yourself?”
If Natalie knew where Joy was really staying, her eyes would have popped out of her head. This house wasn’t nice enough to be the shed behind the one she was currently living in. “It’s really not that nice. It’s a total fixer-upper on the inside. And it’s just until I decide whether or not I’m staying in Vail long-term.”
Every fib out of Joy’s mouth, however small, ate at her. That was the reason she’d kept to herself since coming to Vail—it was easier to live covertly if you never had to speak to anyone about the details of your life. It made for a solitary existence though, one that was starting to chew a hole through Joy’s sanity and sense of self, especially now that Christmas was almost here. Unfortunately, lies and lone-wolfing were the best ways to keep her cover, and keep it she must.
Natalie’s car quaked and rumbled as it idled, but at least it was still spitting out heat. December in Colorado was no joke. Although Joy had grown up in Ohio and had lived through her fair share of bitter cold winters, she’d lost much of her immunity to chilly temperatures while living in LA and Santa Barbara over the last few years.